When does a work stop being the representation of our world and become art?
Can we appreciate a work of art without measuring it with our space-time parameters?
In Time Atlas 🌐 the link with our Earth shaped over millennia through the urbanization process is explicit.
Time Atlas 🌐 uses geo-referenced city data intensively and displays it randomly in geographic areas, showing the current time of each city, whether it is currently exposed to the sun, at night or at dusk by changing the reference color palette . There are over 200 cities collected in its monumental internal archive, each with its own latitude and longitude values, UTC and DST time, number of inhabitants.
Each instance shows a square of our land, the cities arrange you in a grid that respects the distances in proportion. The background rotates to the current value of seconds which is the same all over the world. It is potentially composed of 8 geometric elements that can be present with different probabilities.
City clocks can be of 4 different shapes; the length of the pendulum that rotates with the time of the seconds is composed of 5 elements that combine randomly but the length of the pendulum corresponds to the number of inhabitants of that city.
The elements of the composition can be turned off and on again thanks to these keys:
[c] toggle cities
[w] toggle watches
[b] toggle background
Finally, there is the Written Circles variation. It takes up a past work of mine with the same title and in my initial idea it had to be the only aspect of Time Atlas 🌐. The salient feature of the Written Circles display is that it does not have a rotating background but, for each city, the crown of minutes is proportional to the number of inhabitants, therefore interesting moiré effects are obtained in superimposition. 

Time Atlas 🌐

**Dendro** is a generative art project inspired by the beauty of tree rings. Each year, trees add a new ring to their trunks, recording their growth and responding to the changing seasons and environmental conditions. These rings tell a story of the tree's life. By replicating these patterns, the project captures the rhythmic and organic qualities of nature.

In this project, I wanted to explore the aesthetic and conceptual possibilities of tree rings through code-based art. I used a generative algorithm to simulate the growth of virtual trees, generating patterns that resemble the annual rings of real trees, but with a twist. Instead of using traditional circular or oval shapes, I experimented with different geometric forms and noise. I also played with colors and instead of using earthy and realistic colours, the palettes are inspired by the richness and diversity of the natural world.

The algorithm works by starting with the outer most ring, which over time grows towards an arbitrary chose center according to certain rules and parameters. Each iteration adds a new layer of shapes inside the previous one, mimicking the accumulation of tree rings. I introduced random mutations and variations, which introduce unexpected and unpredictable outputs, evoking the unpredictability of natural processes.

Each artwork is inviting the viewer to contemplate the complexity and diversity of nature. I hope that this project will inspire others to explore the wonders of nature and to experiment with code-based art as a means of expression and exploration.

Dendro

Aragnation questions preconceived notions of what AI art can be. Does AI art have to be powered by giant neural networks? Do the aesthetics have to be that of photos or paintings or collages of pieces thereof?

Aragnation uses tiny AI models and constructs abstract imagery in the vocabulary of abstract blobs and organic textures rather than pixels. It is playful with colors. It has a hint of a watercolor and art paper aesthetic. 

The training data includes photographs taken by one of the artists, Abhishek.  The generated pieces thus capture, in broad strokes, Abhishek’s photography – nature, landscapes and urban settings.

In a refreshing contrast to the gravity of the role AI technology is playing in content creation and creative expression, Aragnation brings a light and joyful touch to generative AI art. 

No GPUs were harmed in the making of Aragnation. All AI models are entirely different architectures than those commonly used, and have been designed and trained from scratch by the artists.

Aragnation

Good Vibrations is a kind of philosophy from our culture. It's not just a graphic, or melody. It mentions our journey through all of our lives. Inspired by Minimalism and some works of Ligeti György Sándor and Steve Reich, Good Vibrations creates unique geometries by each unique transaction hash. "Everything in Life is Vibration" Albert Einstein's states. The universal law of nature states that everything has its vibration, and all vibrations will make their voice audible or inaudible. It’s all of our events in the totality of our life, from every dimension—and we cannot determine if they are good or bad, dark, or light.

Good Vibrations

**:: UMK [Ultra Mechanika]. Beyond technology ::**

Imagine a world where technology not only advances mechanically, but also adapts and changes in response to its environment. 

In this view, machines could evolve into a variety of forms, from biological and organic to architectural and industrial, each with its own unique capabilities and characteristics.

The UMK algorithm could be thought of as a life form that has evolved from a seed. Its DNA defines the way in which it grows and develops.

**:: Motivation ::**

UMK expands my previous explorations of the interaction between humans and technology. 

Previously, In the "Defrag Trilogy" (link in the website), I narrate a tale spanning three chapters, exploring the emotions we encounter as we mature amidst a technologically world. The conclusion: technology emerges victorious every time.

This time, I delve into the idea of a world where human intervention is not necessary, showcasing a hypothetical scenario where machines operate and evolve independently. What would self-evolving technology look like?

**:: Aesthetics ::**

As a devout admirer of Manga and graphic novels, the style of the artwork is centered around creating a hand-drawn, captivating one-page masterpiece. 

With UMK, I embark on a journey of maximalist illustration. A path that pushes the boundaries of my previous creations to achieve  figurative pieces that are both visually stunning and unpredictably intriguing.
 
This maximalist approach is designed to evoke a sense of wonder and exploration. The intricate use of textures and interlocking geometries invites the viewer to dive into the artwork and be entranced by the details and nuances. 

**:: Animation ::**

Animation is crafted to captivate and hold the viewer's attention. Sit back and savor the mesmerizing construction mechanics and the gentle flow of the subtle elements in the background.

**:: Final words ::**

In UMK there is a touch of the clean and dreamlike drawing of Jean Giraud (Moebius), the intricate technological structures of Katsuhiro Otomo, or the biomechanical orgies of H.R. Giger. These are some examples of artists who have left a lasting impression on me and whose works continue to shape my aesthetic sensibility.

Art lies within the code itself. When we view the outcome on the screen, we are witnessing the crystallization of the algorithm at a specific moment, under certain conditions. The code is immutable and the results are mere coincidence. 

Enjoy UMK.

**:: Interaction ::**

You can restart the animation or save it as a hi resolution PNG image.
Tap the screen or mouse click to show the reset/save buttons.
Also you can use keys: 'S' to save , 'R' to restart

Art Blocks Presents

Time Atlas 🌐 #22

Paolo Tonon

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Dendro

Vebjørn Isaksen

Aragnation

Devi Parikh and Abhishek Das

Good Vibrations

Aluan Wang

UMK

Fernando Jerez

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